The Culture War Drives The Odyssey Toward Record

Key Points:

• The Odyssey faced backlash from the political Right over its casting choices, with concerns it would fail due to perceived "wokeness," but the film did not tank and instead attracted a diverse audience, including older women and disabled viewers.
• Key actors Lupita Nyong’o and Elliot Page had surprisingly limited screen time, indicating the controversy over their roles was disproportionate and possibly manipulated to generate buzz and drive ticket sales.
• The film practices colorblind casting, reflecting a "Peak Woke" approach by including diverse actors without distorting the narrative or demonizing any group, which aligns with contemporary audience expectations, especially among Gen-Z.
• Despite mixed personal reactions to the film’s plot and execution, the author appreciates that The Odyssey is a theatrical, original movie with practical effects, and views its commercial success as positive for Hollywood.
• The ongoing culture war over casting and representation in Hollywood continues to polarize audiences, with the Left generally dominating cultural influence, though the author laments the increasing politicization of movies and a loss of purely escapist cinema.